THE Big Issue is struggling to stay afloat amid the crippling cost-of-living crisis, founder John Bird warned today.

The campaigning magazine has been forced to undergo “enormous transformation” to survive slumping sales following the Covid-19 pandemic and a surge in living costs, the cross-bench peer said.

The three-decade-old publication, which combats homelessness and other issues, launched a subscription service after the health crisis prevented its vendors from selling copies in the street.